Contemplating and Stargazing
by tmwillson3
Summary: Post Endgame. Jane goes back to Puente Antiguo post-blip to make sense of everything, where she meets someone unexpected, someone she thought dead. Lokane one-shot.


Contemplating and Stargazing

**Author's Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights go to their respective owners. I've always wanted to write in the MCU, but these movies do all sorts of things to my ships. One constant, however, is Lokane. I mostly lurk when it comes to reading and shipping other than one author, so I have no clue if this has been done before. However, Lokane Week happened, as did Endgame and Spiderman Far From Home, so you get this. The theme is Stargazing and Creating Star Charts Together. I hope you enjoy it!**

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Jane's world changed the day Thor came crashing into her world, opening up so many possibilities she hadn't considered.

Her world changed again when the blip occurred.

There was still so much out there that she didn't know, and she was glad to have her whole team reunited once more. That was how she ended up back in Puente Antiguo, stargazing.

Where did she go from here?

That was the question burning in her mind. There had been so much change and loss, and now she burned to discover the places that Pepper and Bruce had told her about, where Thanos, Star-Lord, and others came from. She wanted to find new ways to explain all that she had heard about. She had new technology and a better telescope, but she was still stuck.

Where did she begin?

She started with the stars. Those remained, even when her friends disappeared, and especially when Thor had disappeared during those tumultuous years before. She was glad she had broken up with him; she deserved better than that. She wanted adventures together, to be treated as more than a damsel in distress or a fragile doll that could be forgotten for long periods of time.

She definitely didn't want blond men with hero complexes, which was why she was disgusted with herself when the first man she dated after Thor was some doctor that looked too much like him. After that, she had sworn off dating. Her type had changed, and she was quite certain she could pinpoint the exact moment it changed to dark-haired, lean men with questionable morals.

Not that she would ever talk to said inspiration again since she had heard he was dead, but she could thank him for all that he did for her, Thor, and the rest of the world. According to everyone she talked to, Loki had been busy, stirring up trouble and doing other things she wouldn't have expected of the God of Mischief.

And so she sat in a lawn chair, staring at the stars after putting away her telescope. She had come back to the first spot she had discovered Thor, and she was hoping to discover something else, something new. She had been famous before the blip, and now, she didn't know if that was enough. She had lost people and time. She had been doing what she loved, but was it enough? Was she ready to live out her days with only work for company?

The answer was...strangely no. She was missing something, and now she searched for it. She couldn't explain what it was, even if Darcy insisted that she needed a new partner in research, if nothing else. Preferably a male one that could also fill her nights.

Jane refused to acknowledge any truth in Darcy's words.

She just needed to find out why she was restless, despite having so many theories to research and worlds to explore. This little side trip by herself to Puente Antiguo was supposed to help her find herself and center herself once more as she started her work.

"Hello, Jane Foster."

Jane jumped, falling back in her seat until she landed on the ground.

One minute, she was staring at her dying fire with an endless sky of stars in the background. In the next moment, a dark figure was standing in front of her with a glowing, blue cube.

It couldn't be! She knew that voice with a British accent. She recognized the figure and horned helmet. He was dead. Everyone had confirmed it that time. His brother had mourned for him, just as she had when she found out from Bruce.

"I'm glad you're acknowledging how powerful I am this time," said Loki, stepping until he was standing over her with an arrogant grin.

She glared at him as she got up to face him. He continued to be amused.

She tried to punch him, only for him to grab her wrist. His hand felt just like the aether had as it coursed through her veins, scalding hot and something otherworldly, and yet, strangely addictive. There was no menace or hurt pride shown as he peered at her curiously, trying to understand the connection that simmered between them.

Punching him last time hadn't felt like this. It was less satisfying and more unpredictable as smooth fingers grasped her and held her captive; for once, she didn't mind the contact.

"You're still here, after all that has happened. Why?" he asked seriously before noticing how they were still connected. Pulling away in a controlled manner, his tone became lighter as he said, "Pining, are we?"

"No," she grit out. "I broke it off with Thor."

She refused to believe she was pining over losing Loki. That was impossible.

"You still want to punch me," marveled Loki, glancing at the fist she had created. "Some things don't change."

"That's what happens when you find out someone faked his own death again," she returned, almost on a growl.

"On the contrary," said Loki, smiling at finally finding someone who would understand his journey. "This time, I really did. In another timeline, however, I'm not dead because I was too noble."

He stepped away from her and created an illusion to show her with visuals what he had been up to. He wanted to share, and he took perverse pleasure in finding Jane of all people.

"I don't understand," she said, looking at the stunning images he created, showing how he escaped - at least from his perspective.

"When this 'blip' occurred, did you ever wonder how it happened and why everyone came back?" asked Loki, showing her video footage he had found after defeating Thanos.

"Yes. Bruce said they had time-traveled essentially," said Jane, not understanding.

Loki wrinkled his nose in distaste. "What your surprisingly chatty green friend didn't tell you was that when they went back in time to find all the infinity stones, they left a loose end in New York all those years ago: me. This version of myself has never been punched by your charming hand, nor even met you," he said, grinning.

"Then how do you know me?" she snapped, becoming indignant. "How are you in this timeline?"

"Because, my dear Jane, I was curious all those years. I wanted to see where Thor was banished. That was how I learned of you. How I got here now is a very long tale showcasing how clever I am," he said, bowing.

"So when the Avengers went back in time, they didn't do the same thing to you as before, allowing you to gain the Tesseract and arrive here," said Jane, trying to keep up.

This wasn't the same man as before. He was different, and yet not in how he approached her. He hadn't claimed yet that she or the rest of humanity was so insignificant, which was something. Still, she didn't understand or really know him, even if she felt as though she had at one point as she learned of all that Loki had done.

"Yes," said Loki, looking pleased. "Of course you know that this allows me to travel anywhere I want, but the problem in my universe was that I was a wanted man. I couldn't let that go on, especially after noticing multiples of several Avengers wandering around." He took several steps forward as a sardonic grin curled into existence. "I was curious."

"Haven't you ever heard that curiosity killed the cat?" she asked, stepping into his space to face him.

"I can't say I'm familiar with that Midgardian phrase, but it sounds like something you would say," he said, leaning in. "The curiosity paid off. I discovered this fascinating, bald, wise woman with a green stone. All it took was a little trickery on my part as I spoke to her of my plans, and I found myself in this timeline, one where no one is looking for me."

Jane almost responded that she had been, but she bit her tongue. That wasn't really true, was it?

"Why are you here, though?" persisted Jane, pointing at the ground to indicate Puente Antiguo.

"I asked you first," said Loki before he realized that Jane had no intention of giving him anything. "However, in the spirit of showing that I'm not as bad as I was, I'll say this: I'm here for the same reason as you."

"Contemplating the vastness of the universe?" quipped Jane, making Loki smile.

"No. You're going back to where it all began, to something familiar. This made sense before; now, nothing does after so much change," said Loki, striking a chord within Jane. "Well? Am I close?"

"It's an interesting notion in its own way, the idea of that being true for both of us," hedged Jane, making Loki laugh before she motioned for him to sit on another lawn chair covered in her equipment.

"Indeed. You're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view," said Loki, giving her a searching look.

"Are you going to try to take over Earth now that you have the Tesseract again?" asked Jane without preamble.

Loki laughed. "So forthright and brave. No wonder Thor dated you so long," commented Loki before making a comfortable chair appear. "As for your question, no. I've had a taste now, at least in another life. Look where it brought me: leadership, noble intentions, redemption, and death. That won't do at all. I might as well make the most of what I've got now," he said pointing around himself and at the stars. "There's much mischief to be had, and things to see."

In a quieter voice he added, "There's much to come to terms with in this new universe. Asgard is gone."

He looked downward until Jane leaned in and touched his wrist tenderly before adding, "I can't believe you're alive."

"You're the first to know; no one at that bloody tower in New York is aware of anything, despite all my lurking and impersonating to find information," said Loki, giving her an odd look. "So much has changed. I can't believe Thor is fat."

Jane blinked rapidly before doing a double-take. "Excuse me? Thor is what?"

"You don't know?" asked Loki, grinning mischievously as she shook her head. "During those five years, he became depressed and developed a beer belly. The mighty God of Thunder is now the Jolly Fat Giant, off gallivanting in space with Star-Lord, whoever that is."

Jane's mouth dropped in shock the more she heard. "Bruce never told me this! I know he knew it was a sensitive subject, but I would've liked to have heard that!"

Loki chuckled. "Truth is so subjective, you know. I've a fancy to pay him a visit and see this fat version of him outside of photos and for myself-"

"I want to go with you," said Jane in a rush, getting up. "I need to see this."

Intrigued, Loki stood and offered her his hand. She took a step forward and was about to take it when he snatched his hand away and said, "You ought to know that I'm nowhere near as noble as however you picture me from this present timeline. I can't promise that I'll return you immediately here afterwards. I might enjoy having a companion along for the ride, to enjoy the new sights with."

"You're warning me; that's enough nobility for me," said Jane before asking curiously, "Why me?"

"Perhaps I want to succeed where my brother failed and make you stay; perhaps I'm intrigued by you and your ideas. Perhaps I'm bored," said Loki, shrugging before offering her a hand once more.

"Perhaps I want to do more than stargazing or contemplating the vastness of the universe; perhaps I want to experience it, to see it myself," said Jane slowly, grabbing her travelling suitcase with all her essential equipment and stepping toward him. "Perhaps I want to see and explore the magic and technology in other worlds; perhaps I want to create new star charts together, with you."

Just before she took his hand, she said, "Perhaps I want to go on an unforgettable adventure, to be treated as an equal."

"To see a rotund Thor would be unforgettable enough, I imagine," said Loki smiling. "If you're ready to learn and stand up to me, then I'm ready to explore and consider bringing you back on occasion to document everything."

Both reached for each other's hands at the same time, and a sense of rightness filled Jane as soon as they touched.

This was how it should be.

He was what she had been looking for at some level.

And now, she could spend the rest of her life understanding why.

"Hang on, Jane," said Loki as his arms and body folded around her, pulling her close. "This is an adventure like none other."

A sense of giddiness filled her as they disappeared from sight. It was time to do more than stargazing or see just one new world. Now, her world was being turned upside down, and she couldn't be happier. It was time to begin a new chapter in her life, to start a new adventure.

Her best adventure yet.

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**Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! The contemplating the vastness of the universe line is stolen from Man of the House. I always wanted to use that in a fic involving Jane. Now I'm satisfied. Don't mind the Star Wars quotes; they just happen in all my fics from time to time. Also, I like to headcanon that the Ancient One purposefully sent Loki forward because she saw him and Jane getting together. **


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